I had never known such a complete darkness as the one which enveloped Barbara and me, prisoners in the cellar of her secret holiday home. The blackness was total, there was not the slightest source of light. The cellar was warm but I was shivering as I knew that I was experiencing what it must be like to be blind.
I breathed in deeply through my nose, slowly and deliberately. My mouth was fully blocked by the gag of wadded cloth, strips of tape and tightly tied scarf.
The only sounds in the cellar were those of Barbara’s and mine’s breathing and the occasional creak of the chairs we were bound to.
My questing fingertips again started to play with the knots on my wrist bindings. Paula had tied me up and in her angry haste had missed the little details Carlos prided himself on. With some effort liberty could be a possibility. My hands were bound palm to palm but the knots on the ropes were within reach-just. I set to work.
I concentrated. How I concentrated. It was slow and painful work. The ropes scraped against the skin of my wrists and I could hardly feel my fingers. I felt beads of moisture on my forehead and on my scalp. I forgot about the darkness and the fact that Barbara was bound and gagged two feet away. I breathed in and I breathed out. I worked on my wrist bonds.
A knot gave way. A turn of rope came loose. A hand came free.
‘Hmmmmmph!’ Was the only exclamation of triumph I could manage.
I shrugged away the bindings about my elbows and then hesitated over my next move. What was next? The ropes about my chest and middle or the gag? It had to be the gag. My hands went behind my head.
The knot on the scarf was tangled up in my hair, lank with my own perspiration. My fingers could get no purchase on the knot in the nylon fabric and I felt my hair being tugged painfully against my scalp. I then opted to just pull the scarf down from about my mouth and let it dangle about my neck. The process took longer than I had anticipated.
My fingers were then on the smooth surface of the tape which further smothered my mouth, Paula had used quite a lot of it.
Strip by painful strip I removed the tape from my mouth, at times it felt like the skin was coming off with it. The final wide strip came away and I forced out the sodden cloth packing from my mouth with my tongue and fingers.
I coughed and retched briefly. My mouth was so dry and my lips and cheeks felt numb and sticky. My glands worked saliva back into my mouth and lubricated my tongue.
‘Barbara?’
‘Mmmmmph!?’
‘Barbara-I’ve nearly got loose! I just have to free my chest and legs, hang on!’
‘Ummmph, mmmmph’. Barbara replied from the darkness.
I got the bindings loose which had somewhat painfully cut into my breasts with little difficulty. Then I freed the three turns of rope about my waist, then my knees and I pitched forward to work on my ankles. Pins and needles tingled throughout my whole body it seemed as full circulation returned.
I swore softly as the last knot on my ankle bonds proved to be a stubborn one. Then suddenly I was no longer secured to the chair.
I stood up and promptly fell onto my knees. I was very stiff.
‘Barbara, I’m going to turn on the light!’
‘Mmmm-mmmph’.
Logic told me to move forward on all fours as I was in total darkness and unsteady on my feet. I proceeded with caution like a stalking cat towards where I took the stairs to be located. I was once again very grateful to be crawling across soft carpet rather than a dirty, damp and cold floor.
I found the steps which were also carpeted and up a ahead a tiny shaft of light tickled the darkness from under the door at the top. I made my way up the stairs and when I reached to the door I carefully pulled myself up to my feet. I waited for a few seconds and steadied myself.
My hands slapped the wall searching for the light switch and my heart gave a joyful leap as I found it and switched the lights on. The dazzling brilliance which invaded and filled the previously black space hurt my eyes briefly but I was delighted to have all my senses restored.
I saw Barbara about two dozen feet away, bound, gagged and struggling.
I skipped down the steps and went to her.
Barbara was also hot and bothered from her own efforts at liberty. I went behind her chair and reached for her bound wrists.
‘Ummmph! Ummmph!’ Barbara was shaking her head.
Puzzled I went round to her front.
Barbara raised her chin. ‘Ummmph!’ She indicated her gagged mouth.
I nodded and reached behind her neck under her soft waves of hair. The knot was difficult to get to and like the one on the scarf dangling from my neck was trapping her hair. I again opted to pull the scarf down from about her mouth. As before it took longer than I would have liked. As the scarf fell the mass of silver-grey tape was revealed.
‘Barbara--I’m so sorry-it will hurt.' She shut her eyes and I began removing the tape. I had no choice but to be brutal. The tape came away and the trapped wadding was visible. I pulled the damp cloth from her mouth.
Barbara coughed and took several deep breaths. ‘Thank heavens!’
I then went to start freeing her bonds.
‘Angela-don’t! You have to go for help! Leave me, it’s vital that you get away and bring help here, now listen!’
I stopped and listened. Barbara took another deep breath.
‘Now they’ve locked the cellar door but there is a key down here-I was always scared about locking myself in. It’s in that small wooden box on top of that chest--get it.'
I went over to the chest and the key was inside the box, I picked it up and returned to Barbara.
‘There’s no phone here, I just did not want to be disturbed, but there is a red phone box on the road about half-a-mile away. Go down the drive and when you get to the end turn right and go down the road, the phone box is on the left-you’ll see it. Dial 999 and get the Police here. Now leave the house by the back door, it can only be locked by the bolts on the inside. Now Angela you must hurry!’
Barbara then smiled and said. ‘It’s up to you to save the day and be the heroine, now go’. I hugged her neck briefly and then began my dash.
I threw back the bolts on the door and rushed out into the light and air. I ran round the side of the house to the front and saw the drive slope down towards the road. All the stiffness vanished from my limbs as I ran and the exercise felt quite wonderful as my Nikes pounded down the gravel of the drive. My breasts bounced under the baggy grey top and I bemoaned my lack of a bra but it was great to be free.
The sky was grey and overcast and the air was slightly chill. The landscape about me was a mass of rolling green fields divided by jagged stone walls and I saw herds of white, woolly backed sheep scattered about the high pasture land. There were patches of woodland and scattered farm buildings but I could not see any people.
I cast a glance back at the house. It was a sharp roofed, dark grey structure with seemingly black paned windows. Barbara may have thought it a nice retreat, I thought it looked forbidding.
I thought about shouting for help but I decided to save my breath for running and I was nearly at the road.
I reached the end of the drive and heard the engine of the car a few seconds before I saw it. I came to a swift halt and stood almost shock still.
A silver coloured Audi suddenly blocked the drive and my access to the road. My eyes narrowed as I tried to make out the driver. I then relaxed slightly when I realised that it was neither Paula nor Carlos.
The car door opened and a woman emerged. She held up her hands and I then realised how panicked I must have seemed. She was intending to calm me.
‘It’s Ok!’ She called out to me. ‘It’s Ok!’
Nevertheless I started to take steps backwards. The stranger moved around the front of the Audi and slowly approached me. I was getting ready to run but I still could not decide on a direction.
‘Sabrina, I am here to help you’. The woman had a clear, authoritative voice
with a gentle trace of accent, Irish?
I shook my head and took another step backwards.
‘Sabrina, you are going to be safe.’ The woman continued to move towards me. I looked her over with wide, concerned eyes.
She was about thirty, above average height, slender but sturdy with it. Jaw length auburn hair, green/grey eyes, well defined features, generous mouth.
She was wearing a beige jacket and trousers over a matching cashmere top, the trousers were cropped just below the knees to reveal high boots of light brown leather.
‘I’m a Police Officer’. She told me and reached inside her jacket and drew out a small wallet, flipped it open and showed me some identification. I then saw the bold type words-INTERPOL.
‘My name is Andrea Calder, I’m here to help you Sabrina.'
I shook my head.
‘Are you Sabrina Tate?’ Andrea Calder frowned slightly. ‘She is missing.'
‘No.' I almost whispered. ‘My name is Angela wright, Sabrina is my friend, I was kidnapped instead of her.'
‘By Paula?’
I nodded.
‘Is she here now?’
‘No-she’s gone but she’ll be coming back, we have to get away. I’ve been held hostage, another lady and I have been kept bound and gagged in a cellar.'
Andrea Calder looked me over and saw the rope marks on my wrists and the gag hanging about my neck.
‘I know about the other hostage, Barbara?. I was here earlier checking the place over she came to the door, I sensed something was wrong, I take it you were being held behind the scenes?’
‘Yes but I got free, Barbara is still tied up in the cellar, she told me to go for help.'
Andrea gave me a reassuring smile. ‘Help is here.' She stepped forward and she gently placed her hands on my arms. ‘I’ll be getting both of you to safety very shortly.'
I was confused, very confused. Events were taking a swift turn.
‘Just take it slowly and get in the car with me.' I heard Andrea’s words. ‘Come on, you’re safe now, we’re going to see Barbara right now.'
I felt Andrea’s arm slide about my waist. She started to lead me towards the Audi.
‘I’m after Paula Tate, although she calls herself Paula Trent these days. Interpol has a big file on her. I’ve been assigned to track her down. I know all about her. She was the heir along with Sabrina to the Sir Norman Tate Foundation fortune but she always moved in bad circles and Sir Norman cut her out of everything. Your friend Sabrina gets it all.’
Andrea steered and sat me in the front passenger seat.
‘You were very unlucky.' She told me.
‘Indeed I was.' I replied, suddenly feeling very tired.
‘Paula is a bad girl and Interpol has had a great interest in her for a couple of years now. Did Sabrina tell you about her?’ Andrea asked.
‘Just that she had a sister with whom her parents no longer conversed.'
‘Paula has been involved with some people formerly in the employ of the KGB and she has specialised in dealing in stolen antiquities supposed lost when the old order collapsed. However, Paula has very expensive tastes and is always operating at a loss. She is becoming desperate, hence this little escapade.'
‘I know.' I sighed. ‘All I was doing was a bit of house sitting.'
Andrea turned the Audi up onto the drive and started the vehicle towards the house.
‘I really thought you were Sabrina Tate.' She told me.
I almost managed to laugh. ‘Sabrina is stunning.'
‘You are not too bad yourself.' Andrea then said.
I turned to her and smiled, the first time in what seemed like a long time.
‘Barbara.' I then said.
‘I know about Barbara Parker. Despite being Paula’s lawyer she has acted quite properly.'
‘How did you find the house?’ I was intrigued.
‘There are avenues open to us.' Andrea smiled at me.
We were then outside the gaunt and austere structure of the house. Andrea stopped the car but left the engine running. She then reached over and opened the glove compartment and I gasped when I saw her pull out something flat and deadly looking.
‘What’s that?’ I asked her.
‘It’s a nine millimetre Glock Model 19.' She told me. ‘Just in case.'
Andrea checked the weapon over and then turned to me.
‘I’m going in to get Barbara and then we’ll be out of here but first-.'
She then conjured up a tiny Nokia phone and punched up a number. She held the phone to her ear for several long seconds. I saw the smooth skin of her brow crease.
‘I can’t get a signal.' She said. ‘It’s all the high ground about us.'
‘Somebody does know you’re here?’ I was concerned.
‘Of course!’ She replied. ‘Stay here.' She got out of the car.
I had no intention of staying put.
‘I need water, Barbara will need water.'
‘Ok but stay close.' Andrea told me.
‘We need to go round the back.'
Andrea went first, her gun at the ready. We went round the back and entered the grey house through the ajar back door.
‘Where is the cellar?’ Andrea turned to me, grey/green eyes questioning.
‘Down there-I’ll get the water.'
She nodded and moved forward.
I made for the kitchen and once within in it I located two large glass tumblers. I filled the first with water from the cold tap over the sink and promptly drained it. I then filled them both, ready to take downstairs. I then put them to one side and took the opportunity to run my rope burned wrists under the cold streams. It felt wonderful.
I was enjoying the soothing sensation when suddenly I sensed a presence behind me. It had to be Andrea. I turned about.
I was then seized in a very strong grip and large hand covered my mouth stifling any sound.